Email
Image credit: Richard Ellis/Getty Images
In a debate that held the ambiance of a schoolyard confrontation, Mark Sanford fended off mentions of his affair and attacked his opponent as a liberal Democrat before a boisterous crowd at the Citadel Monday night in Charleston, S.C.
Both Sanford and his Democratic rival, Elizabeth Colbert Busch, drew loud cheers, boos and groans as topics veered among topics including fiscal restraint, port dredging, gay marriage and abortion.
Colbert Busch came out in favor of gay marriage and abortion rights, while beating back accusations that outside Democratic money will sway her toward liberal policies. In recent days, Sanford has staged mock debates against a cardboard cutout of House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi at campaign events in the House district he represented in the 1990s and is seeking to reclaim.
“No one tells me what to do except the people of the First District,” she told Sanford twice.
The night’s biggest fireworks came when Sanford’s extramarital affair was brought up, first by Colbert Busch and later, obliquely, by a moderator.
“When we talk about fiscal spending and we talk about protecting the taxpayer, it doesn’t mean you take that money we save and leave the country for a personal purpose,” Colbert Busch said.
Sanford flew to Argentina in 2009 to meet with his then-mistress, now-fiance Maria Belen Chapur, leading aides to believe he was hiking on the Appalachian Trail.
“I couldn’t hear what she said,” Sanford replied, cupping his hand to his ear. “Repeat it, I didn’t hear that. I’m sorry.”
It was unclear whether Sanford actually hadn’t heard Colbert Busch.
Later, a debate moderator asked Sanford about his votes to impeach President Bill Clinton over his sex scandal with Monica Lewinsky.
“Do you think that President Clinton should be condemned for the rest of his life based on a mistake that he made in his life?” Sanford asked, seemingly to the audience’s satisfaction.
The candidates exchanged barbs almost as soon as the debate began, as Colbert Busch criticized Sanford for voting against harbor dredging and a new bridge over the port of Charleston, accusing him of opposing measures that would increase trade. Sanford countered that he didn’t oppose the bridge, but rather the method for funding it.
“It must not have bothered her that much, given that she wrote me a $500 check in support of my candidacy” for governor, Sanford said. “I guess it bothers her now.”
“You and I met on a number of occasions,” Colbert Busch said. “You said you would support trade. You said you would support dredging. … And, in fact, you didn’t tell the truth. You turned around and did the opposite.”
Sanford criticized Colbert Busch for her support from national Democrats and labor unions, mentioning Pelosi at least a dozen times to repeated groans from the audience. Running on a platform of fiscal conservatism, Sanford at one point claimed during the debate that he was “against earmarks before being against earmarks was cool.”
While Sanford may have drawn more boos than Colbert Busch, he drew raucous applause, at times, when discussing debt and deficit problems.
In his closing remarks, Sanford asked for everyone’s vote – then joked that such a request might be unrealistic. Sanford instead asked that only some, not all, of the attendees vote for him.
“I get that the room’s divided,” he said.
Colbert-Busch would be a refreshing change from the tired politics of blocking, defunding those who need it most, and lack of investment in the youth of this state.
Sanford is a cheat, all about himself, and a real disappointment. He campaigned before on family values while slipping out with the mistress. He shamed his kids and used his wife just for political gain.
Anyone who condemned Clinton for his affair with Lewinsky certainly is good at changing his mind when the shoe is on the other foot.
He blocked constructive initiatives while Governor, got very little done, and I think has no life or profession outside politics. Colbert-Busch is bright, hands-on, all about business, and understands what it takes to run a successful operation.
Nuff said…
Posted by: DeeToo | April 29, 2013, 10:59 pm 10:59 pm
Mark Sanford is a nasty, sleazy little hypocrite. Anyone who would vote for him after he abused public funds to fly off to Argentina to cheat on his wife, is truly a fool. Elizabeth Colbert Busch will be incomparably better.
Posted by: Mike1776 | April 29, 2013, 11:17 pm 11:17 pm
Sanford always seems anxious to prove that he is an idiot. He did that continuously tonight. He seems to think that he is running against Nancy Pelosi. Someone needs to set him straight on that.
The moderator(s) did a horrible job. They continuously reminded Elizabeth Colbert Busch that she “…has 30 seconds,” but they NEVER said that to Sanford. They let Sanford wander around off topic all night and NEVER brought him back to the subject. Were they biased? You bet they were.
Who won? Elizabeth Colbert Busch in a landslide. Sanford is toast!
Posted by: Bob Ross | April 29, 2013, 11:38 pm 11:38 pm
Sanford! You are not a democrat! Give it up!
Posted by: TexBork_2013 | April 29, 2013, 11:40 pm 11:40 pm
I was really impressed with Elizabeth Colbert Busch tonight! I believe she won the debate straight up, but if you factor in “the expectations game”–with her as a rookie versus a supposed professional–it was a clear KNOCKOUT WINNER!
What hurts Sanford most, though, is that this was his last, best chance to change the momentum in this race. He failed utterly. That’s good for South Carolina.
Posted by: Tortmaster | April 30, 2013, 12:02 am 12:02 am
i thought the debate was fairly even, however more loud cheers came on part to comments for and by sanford, colbert busch is complete toast. the first district voters know sanford as a commodity and most dont care about his private life its none of their business its his privacy. He is a libertarian who succeeded in giving the state success and was a wonderful representative to the first district in the past. Colbert busch does not have a mind of her own and is a rubber stamp for oblammer and lear jet liberal nancy pelosi, two people with failed polciies which are antithetical to south carolina and the first district
Posted by: kevin | April 30, 2013, 2:42 am 2:42 am
It comes down to integrity and trust. Sanford has neither.
Posted by: Rob Dent | April 30, 2013, 7:19 am 7:19 am
Obviously both Mr. Sanford’s and Mr. Gingrich’s, among many other Republicans, condemnation of President Clinton’s affair were not based on deep moral convictions. On the other hand, Nancy Pelosi probably serves to remind these gentlemen of their shortcomings.
Posted by: longtail | April 30, 2013, 8:10 am 8:10 am
How can South Carolina residents possibly elect an individual that abandoned the state for days without any way to contact him if something catastrophic happened? Abandoning his post and state, using state funds for his sexual exploitations, and claim he is out in the wild “Hiking the AT”.
Especially after what happened in Boston recently, what would the voters of South Carolina have done under similar circumstances? Did he not take the oath of office to protect his constituents?
He has demonstrated his lack of commitment to wife, family and state.
Shame on you!
Posted by: JCH | April 30, 2013, 8:14 am 8:14 am
Not smart pointing out that she had donated to his campaign. He basically highlighted that she IS NOT partisan.
Posted by: JrzWrld | April 30, 2013, 8:41 am 8:41 am
@JCH, that is a very good point. If you accept the position of governor, you should never be unreachable. I wish someone had asked him about that.
Posted by: JrzWrld | April 30, 2013, 8:43 am 8:43 am
POSTED BY: LONGTAIL | APRIL 30, 2013, 8:10 AM 8:10 AM you are kidding, Nancy Pelosi, the same that cut water of to the farmer so she has enough for her vine yards, the same that needed a bigger office in Cali, at 2x the expense because she deserves it, the same that had planes standing by, just in case she and her family want to fly off to somewhere, the same that used insider trading for years to get richer, the same that diverted taxpayers money into her husbands pockets, the same that told everyone she will drain the swamp and it grew during her role as speaker.
Funny, how the libs and democrats all over sudden found morals, I forgot, only the other side has to have them, does not apply to them.
Posted by: Lizzie43 | April 30, 2013, 9:03 am 9:03 am
“Later, a debate moderator asked Sanford about his votes to impeach President Bill Clinton over his sex scandal with Monica Lewinsky.”
.
Bill Clinton was impeached for lying to a grand jury. Those who tout the false line about it being about sex only prove that perjury is OK as long as its a DEMOCRAT doing it.
Posted by: Michelle Shu Jas | April 30, 2013, 10:02 am 10:02 am
deetoo wrote:”Sanford is a cheat, all about himself, and a real disappointment. He campaigned before on family values while slipping out with the mistress. He shamed his kids and used his wife just for political gain. ”
.
Sounds just like Bill Clinton. Except he had an enabler named Hillary. Sanford’s wife did not use him for her own personal political gain, like Hillary, and instead threw him out of the house.
Posted by: Michelle Shu Jas | April 30, 2013, 10:05 am 10:05 am
For all of you on the Clinton train…… Is he running for office again? No, it is a very weak argument and shows you are just trying to justify Sanford to yourself. The affair is not the big issue here. Abandoning the state and spending taxpayer money on his “trips” is the problem. Not to mention ignoring the divorce order and coming up with that sad as$ excuse that no one believes. The guy is a pathological liar. I am not saying Colbert-Busch is the savior, but give her a chance to see what she can do. Politicians have to start somewhere. But to re-elect a known dishonest moron is just crazy.
Posted by: SCDem | April 30, 2013, 10:24 am 10:24 am
Is there a female Democrat club that ties them all together or what? Pelosi? Come on….fear mongering at it’s finest.
Posted by: SCDem | April 30, 2013, 10:26 am 10:26 am
scdem wrote:”No, it is a very weak argument and shows you are just trying to justify Sanford to yourself. ”
.
No, just pointing out the hypocrisy of the DEMOCRATS who are trying to marginalize Sanford. If you are saying Sanford should be shunned, then the same ought to apply to Bill and Hillary.
Posted by: Michelle Shu Jas | April 30, 2013, 11:19 am 11:19 am
The fact that Gov. Sanford had an affair is a red-herring and always has been. Of course he had an affair, but that’s between him and his wife. The committment he made to his wife has never been his constituent’s business.
What IS relevant is the committment he made to the State of South Carolina as their Governor and Commander in Chief of the SC National Guard. Gov. Sanford left the Country during hurricane season without informing the Lieutenant Governor, the Congress, the Attorney General or the State Supreme Court where he was, where he was going, or when he would be back. He left the SC National Guard leaderless, and unable to legally mobilize if there had been an emergency.
That’s the crux of the problem:
Mark Sanford is a man who would betray his committment to the safety and security of the people he was sworn to defend to go off and satisfy his own desires. His constituents come second to himself.
And that’s why I could never support Mark Sanford to hold a position of trust again.
ever
Posted by: MiddleagedDad1 | April 30, 2013, 2:08 pm 2:08 pm
MICHELLE SHU JAS – Did Bill Clinton use tax dollars to go out of the country and get a BJ from monica? Nope. It has nothing to do with having an affair. Using tax dollars to fund it is the issue. No one said to forgive Bill, but he is not trying to run for office. Did Clinton violate a divorce order? No again. Do you actually believe Sanford’s Superbowl story? If so, you must be a very gullible person.
Posted by: SCDem | April 30, 2013, 2:22 pm 2:22 pm
scdem wrote:” Did Bill Clinton use tax dollars to go out of the country and get a #### from monica?”
.
No but he lied his butt off to a grand jury and tried to obstruct justice to cover his worthless butt. Betty Currie hid lawfully subpoenaed gifts that would corroborate Monica’s story about her dealings with Bill. And you still push the flat out lie that it was about a ####.
.
” If so, you must be a very gullible person.”
.
Did you believe Juanita Broaddrick? If not, you must be just another DEMOCRAT stooge.
Posted by: Michelle Shu Jas | April 30, 2013, 7:59 pm 7:59 pm
Sanford used taxpayer money to leave the country without telling ANYONE where he was…oh, wait a minute…he told his staff he was hiking the AT..so now we add lying to his staff to the mix. Any state employee who leaves their post is subject to immediate termination….but he wants us to re-elect him.
Posted by: thefirstone00 | April 30, 2013, 10:21 pm 10:21 pm